Processed Food - Children At Risk

Any food that has been altered from its natural state is called processed food. Food processing began many centuries ago when food was altered through processes such as fermenting, drying or preserving with salt. But modern food processing methods also use additives such as sweeteners, spices, oils, colours and preservatives. By now, you would have realised that we are eating more processed foods than we ever realised.

Parents who are conscious about the health of their children will be surprised to find out how often they are providing their children with processed foods. According to the article titled, ‘What Are the Dangers of Processed Foods for Children?’ written by Tammy Quinn Mckillip in oureverydaylife.com, ‘Pretty much any food that is packaged, canned, frozen or altered from its original form can be considered processed. Unless your food has been recently picked and prepared, there's a high chance it harbors chemicals that could be potentially harmful to your child’.

But how do processed foods adversely impact the health of children?

Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat are added during processing to make the flavour of foods more appealing and to increase their shelf life. The better flavour makes children eat more and thus ingest more than the recommended amount of the additives. Some of the ingredients used in processed foods have been found to trigger behavioural problems in children. According to an article in bodyunburdened.com, ‘Mounting evidence shows that excessive exposure to manganese increases the risk of neurological problems, learning disabilities, developmental disorders, mental health disorders, and ADHD.’

You can learn more about the risks of processed foods by going through our ClipBook.

Processed foods aren't just ready meals. The term 'processed food' applies to any food that has been altered from its natural state in some way, either for safety reasons or convenience. Processed foods aren't necessarily unhealthy, but anything t...

More at:

Health-conscious parents may be surprised to find out how often they are likely putting their children at risk. Even if you know enough to avoid the drive-through "happy" foods and sugary sweets, you could be unwittingly filling your grocery cart ...

More at:

It has been speculated that the increased consumption of processed foods is responsible for increasing burden of lifestyle diseases. This change in food habits has not only exposed us to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, but h...

More at:

Relying on processed and highly refined ingredients devoid of vitamins and minerals could lead to a range of disorders in children including pallor, fatigue, weakness, food cravings, hair loss and joint aches, according to a study. It could also t...

More at:

While the causes of behavioural issues are not entirely known and likely to vary, numerous studies suggest that certain ingredients, particularly those found in processed foods trigger behavioural problems in children.

More at:

Some people might think it's a bit ridiculous to be concerned about something like eating processed food with all the other pressures of life, but a diet high in processed food has significant effects on overall health during childhood, adolescenc...

More at:

Processed foods are convenient, and not all of them are bad for you: Pre-chopped vegetables, or fruits canned in their own juice, are just two examples. Sometimes, however, convenience can mean large amounts of hidden sodium, fats, and sugar, whic...